I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use in protecting a patient from trauma during a procedure for drawing blood and in particular to devices which protect the leg and foot of an infant from trauma during the blood drawing procddure.
II. Description of the Prior Art
It is frequently necessary to draw blood from an infant for use in blood tests and the like. Normally, the blood is drawn from the infant's heel. To withdraw blood, a nurse or technician grasps the foot and leg of the infant in one hand, and inserts a point of a lancet into the infant's heel with an other hand.
However, body tissue of a newborn infant is quite fragile and the infant's skin is frequently dry and scaly. As a result, the hand pressure applied by the technician to the infant's foot and leg frequently produces trauma such as severe bruising and skin loss to the infant. Thus, it would be desirable to reduce the trauma occurring to the infant during a blood withdrawal procedure.
Devices are known in the medical field which stabilize the ankle such as casts and splints and the like. Additionally, many devices are known which protect the ankle from trauma resulting from contact occurring during sports such as hockey, bowling and football; however, none of these devices are suitable for preventing trauma during the withdrawal of blood. Braces, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,793 to Mauldin, provide rigid stabilization of the ankle. However, such devices are heavy, cumbersome and not well suited for grasping by the hand of a technician during the taking of blood.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a simple and inexpensive trauma protector which protects the infant from trauma during the taking of blood.